There are many ways we at Moxie Security can help keep people secure, but in many cases, they involve having staff on the spot to prevent problems, such as door security.
When it is not possible to be there, we can at least provide a pair of remote eyes, which, while it may not be able to physically prevent certain actions, can be invaluable both in deterring crime and apprehending suspects.
On occasion, CCTV can help convict perpetrators of some very serious crimes. A recent example was that of two men who were convicted of firearms offences after one of them shot and injured a man with a shotgun in a car park in Smethwick, an offence caught on camera.
In other cases, having CCTV on the premises can deter criminals. The number of crimes stopped is impossible to measure with certainty, of course, as what cannot be recorded is the intention to carry out crimes such as robberies only for those casing the joint to spot CCTV cameras and decide to try their luck elsewhere.
However, if your premises have been trespassed on by vandals or thieves in the past and you find after fitting CCTV that such occurrences are far less frequent, you certainly should not put this down to coincidence.
Indeed, there is some important statistical evidence that does provide very good reasons for using CCTV.
Firstly, police force data for 2022-23 in England and Wales revealed an overall increase in recorded crime. While many of these were committed in settings CCTV would not spot (such as online), we are certainly not becoming a more law-abiding country.
Secondly, the number of crimes that were closed after no suspect was identified rose to 39.3 per cent in 2023, up from 36.7 per cent a year before. Fitting CCTV does help reduce the chances that any crimes taking place on or near your premises will be similarly unresolved or the criminals get away with it.